Equine Assisted Services:
Learning, Therapy and Personal Growth
Through Horsemanship

"In the beginning of all things, wisdom and knowledge were with the animals; for Tirawa, the One Above, did not speak directly to man.  He sent certain animals to tell man that he showed himself trough the beasts, and that from them, and from the stars and the sun and the moon, should man learn.”
-Pawnee Eagle Chief Letakots-Lesa


You can lead a horse to water,
​but can you make him drink?

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When traditional approaches to growth and change aren’t achieving results,
Experience The Equine Approach to …
  • Self-esteem
  • Trust
  • Boundaries
  • Communication
  • Respect
  • Building partnerships
  • Leading change

The Equine Approach - Philosophy

We believe the horse is the true teacher and only by honoring its voice will optimum learning and growth occur.  That belief is our platform for empowering our clients in healthy relationship skills. Our program is based on relationship skills explored out of the saddle, from the ground.  Being on the same level as the horse emphasizes communication over control and allows skills to develop in a non-threatening way.


Click the video to watch a short video about The Equine Approach
Video Cast - Candid Conversations with Dr. Mayfield - Equine Assisted Therapy

What is it about horses?

The horse is a prey animal with rich physical language, clear social roles and boundaries. Comfort and safety are his primary concerns. He is most comfortable with a leader he can trust.  These basics drive his behavior and his highly-developed responses to his environment.
  • Horses prefer a structured, predictable environment; creating a safe space helps participants relax and learn
  • Horses maintain a preference of personal space
  • Horse have a warm soft coat that facilitates  healthy touch
  • Horses are straightforward
  • Horses' natural sensitivity to environment allows them to reflect our energies 
  • Horses promote asking for and accepting help


What does it look like?

Like any good relationship, a relationship with a horse is best built from the ground up. We also believe that the fastest way to build it is to go slow. Really slow. Participants spend time observing horses’ natural behaviors before entering their space. We are mindful of their cues as they respond to our presence and we learn to approach and interact with them. Typical activities include horse behavior observation and discussion, approaching and haltering horses, massage and energy work, grooming, leading through various activities and obstacles, off-lead work, mindfulness practices, horse care, team initiatives and more. Safety for horses and people is always the first consideration.

Currently we are not including riding in our curriculum. If riding is a must for you, we will happily refer you to some resources that offer it.

We’ll be outside most of the time, or if indoors it will be an unheated space, so seasonally appropriate clothing is important! We will walk or stand for the majority of our time together.

The Activities

By their very nature, horsemanship activities facilitate exploration of many different issues. Typical activities for a session include grooming, observing or interacting with horses on lead or at liberty, leading in various exercises, equine body work techniques and more.

Herd Observation

Through their eloquent body language, the horses speak volumes. When we take the time to mindfully observe, we can begin to understand what they’re saying and prepare to engage with more awareness. Horses have an observable social structure, and when a herd is turned out together we can notice that structure. It’s easy to see which horse is dominant, but which one is the leader? It may not be the same individual. Leadership skills and attributes, in horses and humans, are rich topics to explore.

Grooming

Grooming serves many purposes. It allows us to get acquainted gradually before taking on an activity together. As we brush him and clean out his feet, we learn to observe a horse’s responses to our actions. For example, we notice how differently he responds to quick movements as opposed to gentle ones. Participants are taught what positions are safe for them and what is threatening or non-threatening to the horse. They learn to read and interpret the horse’s responses for themselves. They learn to build a relationship based on mutual respect and trust, and to give something back to the horse. Through grooming we are able to explore the concepts of nurturing, empathy, boundaries, safety, cause and effect, respect, trust and relationship skills.

Obstacles and Initiatives

By using simple props to create an obstacle course, we can build on our relationship skills as we navigate those challenges with a horse. The feedback the horse offers as to how we are experiencing a challenge can be very informative! Whether we are confident or confused, putting on an act or genuine, the horse recognizes what is authentic and reflects it back to us.

Equine Body Work

The benefits of equine massage are many. It helps enhance muscle tone and increases range of motion in the horse. It can reduce inflammation and swelling as well as increase flexibility. It reduces stress in the horse. It increases the comfort and familiarity in working with horses and teaches people to be aware of the subtle body language of equines.  Equine massage strengthens the bond between horse and human.

How do Equine Assisted Activities help?

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Increases:
            Self-awareness
            Emotional regulation
            Behavioral control
            Sense of normality
            Self-confidence
            Empathy
            Sense of Empowerment
Improves:
            Communication skills
            Anger management skills
            Getting Results
            Leading People
            Dealing with Conflict
            Leading Change
            Building Partnerships

The Equine Approach LLC is a Member Center of PATH Intl.
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship is the credentialing organization for accrediting centers and certifying instructors and equine specialists.  The PATH Intl. Mission: We lead the advancement of professional equine-assisted services by supporting our members and stakeholders through rigorously developed standards,
​credentialing and education.